


Partier without Fear

by elliceluella



Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Silly shenanigans, dumpster ninja matt murdock and his glorious butt, everything is light and silly and nothing hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-26
Updated: 2015-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-23 12:14:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4876402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliceluella/pseuds/elliceluella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Karen, who is now grinning like a Cheshire cat, presses her fingers to her lips to muffle a giggle. A chill goes down Matt’s spine. Oh no. No no no. Karen, what have you done?</i>
</p><p> </p><p>Matt gets a lucky escape and hides in plain sight at a costume party which, surprise! Foggy and Karen just so happen to be at.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Partier without Fear

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this prompt](http://daredevilkink.dreamwidth.org/5006.html?thread=9251726#cmt9251726) and [this one](http://daredevilkink.dreamwidth.org/5006.html?thread=9249934#cmt9249934).
> 
> Also, allow me to apologize for the crappy non-plot. I have no idea what the hell goes on at a costume party besides the food and the music and the blatant staring.

One minute Matt’s got one of the guys from a new drug trafficking ring in a choke hold, pressing (physically and metaphorically) the poor sod for answers, and the next someone is shooting at him. Wait. Make that two someones. How did he not notice that two of the guys he had previously incapacitated were already up and going all trigger happy on his ass? If Stick was there he’d never hear the end of it.

Matt grunts in frustration. He knows what he has to do, even if he’s gonna hate himself for it. He retreats and leaps out the window without pausing to consider if there’s going to anything else besides the concrete pavement to break his fall. Matt falls, three stories before landing in a dumpster. Relief washes over him. Perhaps it’s time to upgrade his relationship with dumpsters from acquaintance to buddies, he considers, as his elbow squishes something he hopes is rotten fruit.

This was a close call. Too close. He tells himself he needs to stop being an idiot. Present company aside, Matt can’t think of anyone else who’d leap out of a building three stories high on blind faith that they wouldn’t go splat on the pavement. OK, maybe he’s better skilled than the average person at landing without breaking every bone in his body and not looking like someone dropped a pizza from way up, but still. He needs to start making better Plan B's.

He should know better than to consider hope as a Plan B. Foggy had said that much, countless times over the past few months in between disgruntled muttering as he patched Matt up after some particularly nasty confrontations. Before Claire left the city, she was kind enough to ‘bestow’ some first aid training and supplies upon Foggy, who, as it turns out, happens to be an incredibly fast learner. With the help of Youtube tutorials and plenty of practice thanks to Matt, he’d gotten really good at stitching and suturing.

Matt commented on Foggy’s skills once, but all that got him was a flick on the ear and a “learning becomes incredibly easy when you’ve got your best friend’s impending death as motivation” from Foggy. It wasn’t until Foggy’s exasperated “Dammit, Matt!” that he realized he’d been giving Fogy the Murdock Puppy Eyes. Oh well.

The smell in the dumpster is bad, but the sharp jolt of pain at the base of his skull is worse. He’s definitely landed on something he shouldn’t have. The only good thing is that his head’s not bleeding. Huh, miracle of miracles, Matt thinks. Sure, he’s got some scratches here and there, but it’s nothing he hasn’t had before. Matt hears angry shouts above him and knows that tonight his pursuers won’t rest until they’ve had definitive proof that Daredevil is out of the picture. Permanently.

Matt wills his limbs to move, and slowly, agonizingly, climbs out of the dumpster. He half limps, half crawls into a dark, quiet alley several blocks away. He slides down a wall and sits on the ground next to another dumpster, begging his body not to pass out. He forces the cold night air into his lungs and tries his best to catch his breath.

An odd thought comes to him then. Should he put a sign on his red suit? Something that would make a great emblem for justice? Something like… “DD” perhaps, to show that he’s accepted the name his city has christened him? But- isn’t “Daredevil” one word? What would the other “D” stand for, anyway? Matt has to clamp a hand over his mouth before the giggle that is threatening to spill forth escapes his lips, one that formed the moment he came up with an answer. Dumpster. “Dumpster Daredevil, the _idiot_ without fear”. Well, this is the second time a dumpster’s saved his life, and never let it be said that Matt Murdock is an ingrate.

Two more minutes pass before he notices that his head isn’t hurting so much anymore. Still dizzy, but he’ll live. He gets up, and hobbles along with one hand pressed against the wall. He knows he can’t stay in the alley for long, they’re bound to find him sooner or later. He makes it to the end of the alley and turns a corner before he hears the faint sounds of laughter and music. Wait...is this? Oh, this is perfect, Matt thinks as he trudges on towards the sounds.

Now all he needs before he reaches his destination is an excuse as to why he’s crashing a costume party at the local community center. The very same one that Foggy and Karen are attending, because apparently Foggy has an inbuilt fun radar.

Hiding in plain sight at the costume party is going to be an excellent idea - well, probably, Matt hopes. There goes that word again. Oh screw it. Matt shakes his head slightly before pressing a hand to his temple. OK then, no sudden head movements for him tonight.

Matt slips in through the back door and makes a beeline for the restroom. But before he gets there he bumps into Bess Mahoney, whose costume makes plenty of rustling sounds when she moves. She gasps and Matt knows what she’s about to say next. Dammit, he’d forgotten to soften his stance. If it wasn't for Foggy's observation several weeks ago, Matt would've never realized that he had a tendency to carry himself significantly differently as Daredevil and as Matt Murdock. He couldn't help himself though; the moment he donned his Daredevil suit there was nothing he could do but carry himself differently.

“Darede-!” Matt hastily cuts Bess off before she finishes.

“Hi Bess, it’s just me, Matt,” he clears his throat, shuffles his feet and tries his best to lose that “intimidating pose”- Foggy’s words, not his. He makes a small show of goofily flexing his biceps and Bess laughs. Hopefully that’ll be enough to distract her from staring and finding similarities between his and Daredevil’s features or something.

“For a moment there I thought you were really him!” Bess says. Matt laughs, a little too hard. He prays she doesn’t notice and decides to change the subject.

“Ah, well, sorry to disappoint. I’m not Daredevil. Well, except for tonight, though. What’re you dressed as? Your costume sounds pretty fancy.”

She smiles at his comment. “Me? Oh, I’m Ursula, that sea witch from The Little Mermaid.” Ah, tentacles. So that explains the rustling.

Bess leaves and Matt whips out his phone once he makes it to the restroom. Foggy, excellent anxious best friend that he is, answers on the second ring. “Matt? Wh-”

“Hey buddy, uhh. I know this isn’t exactly a good time, but- I’m here. In the restroom near the back of the center.” Foggy reaches Matt in record time.

“Holy shit, Matt. You- um- you stink. Sorry, couldn’t help the pun,” Foggy says the moment he enters the restroom. Matt grins and sways slightly. “I think I may also have a slight concussion.”

“OK let’s get you home. Right now.”

“I’m fine, Foggy. It’s not that bad. I think. It’s safer for me to hide out here and leave when everyone leaves, hiding in plain sight and all.”

Matt recounts the night’s events as Foggy cleans him and his suit up as best as he can, dabbing on Matt’s bruises and scratches with moist paper towels because “I didn’t think it would be necessary to bring bandages with me to a _costume party_.” Guilt twists inside Matt because the worry and frustration in Foggy’s voice is clear.

“I’m sorry. I- I didn’t mean to spoil your night,” Matt offers.

Foggy shakes his head, still dabbing on a bruise at the back of his shoulder. “Please. My nights aren’t that easy to spoil. I’m just upset because your Plan B almost had you leaping to your death. Or to a nice long vacation in the hospital, at least. And now you’re gonna have to act like a blind dude in a really tight red suit for the rest of the night.”

“Minor head injury aside, I got out of there relatively unscathed and didn’t end up in a body of water, unlike the last time. I’d call that a solid win. And you know I’d rather act as a blind Daredevil fanboy than end up like Swiss cheese. Because let’s face it, that’s what I’m gonna be if they find me,” Matt shrugs. Foggy groans, quietly hitting his head against the door repeatedly while Matt cringes with every thud he hears.

“So this is what my life has become, basically.” Foggy intones. “I am now officially a superhero’s anxiety-riddled girlfriend, complete with luscious locks.”

“Well, you do have nice hair, Foggy.”

Foggy gives Matt the stink eye. “I’m giving you the st-”

“I know.”

“Ugh. Don’t you dare give me that look,” Foggy gives a dignified huff before continuing. “Also, I think now would be a good time to let you know that your concussion is messing with your ability to pull off them puppy eyes, which I assume was what you were trying to do a second ago. You’re looking more like if Popeye overdosed on spinach right now, actually.”

“Oh. OK, then.”

“You don’t sound worried.”

“I’m not. It’ll come back. Besides, we both know that’s my real secret ability.” Matt puts his cowl on.

Foggy snorts. They start to leave before Foggy grips Matt’s arm. “Wait. You’re going to need your cane.”

“Oh, right. Can’t have people noticing Melvin’s new upgrade.” Matt takes out his billy club and snaps it together, slipping his hand through the loop.

“Watch out everybody, I’m Blind Matt Murdock,” Matt says, cane in one hand and Foggy’s elbow in another. Foggy sighs and shakes his head, a smile back on his face. “Most people just say Matt Murdock.”

“Hey. What’re you supposed to be tonight?” Matt asks as they make their way towards the dance floor, where Karen and most of the crowd is.

“You can’t tell? Radar sense on the fritz after your little stunt?”

“All I’m getting is that you’ve got on something resembling a cowboy hat and a handkerchief around your neck, but I have no idea what you’re dressed as.”

“I’m Doctor Alan Grant. Jurassic Park.” Foggy tips his hat.

Matt grins. “Of course. Great choice, buddy. I think we’re nearing where Karen is, I can smell her-”

“Maaaaatt!? Is that you? I had no idea you’d be here!” Karen strides over to where they are. Her voice is loud, but the music is louder. Matt winces. He puts on a brave face and hopes his smile doesn’t come off weird.

“Uh- I guess you could say I have a thing for costumes?” Foggy nudges him in the ribs. Truth be told, Matt really, really much prefers if the press and everyone else referred to his outfit as a suit or an armor rather than a costume, but tonight is going to have to be an exception.

“Karen’s costume is super cool, by the way,” Foggy quickly shifts the focus to Karen before she starts asking the inevitable question both guys know will be coming soon.

“Damn right it is. Jessica Hamby, best baby vamp in Shreveport,” Karen gives a twirl.

“Her cape's red and the corset’s got a really neat lace overlay, and she’s got Jessica’s hair down pat,” Foggy describes.

“Just like in that scene with Jason?” Matt asks.

“Oh heck yeah.”

“Wait, you mean you’ve seen- uh sorry- heard of True Blood?” Karen’s eyes go wide in surprise.

“Oh course he has! I’ve been his audio guide since the pilot. It’s only the best campy show around.” Foggy almost puffs his chest out saying it. Karen looks very impressed.

She turns to stare at Matt, who shifts uncomfortably under her gaze and clears his throat. “Uh, is something wrong? Or has the awesomeness of my outfit dumbfounded you?” he plasters a smirk on his face and channels his nerves into fiddling with the strap on his cane.

“This is one notch above awesome, Matt.” Karen walks a circle around Matt before taking a step forward to touch his armor. “It even feels so...real.” Her hand is still on him, but he doesn’t make any effort to take a step back. Foggy rolls his eyes.

“How- where did you get this?”

There it is. The Question. Matt and Foggy both freeze for a second before Matt splutters out something about finding it online. For all the lawyering that they do, Matt wonders why they’ve never bothered to preempt Karen’s questions. She’s been getting more curious every time Matt goes to work with a bruised face and there’re only so many variations to the “I was just clumsy” shtick. Before they can try to change the subject, Karen leans in and actually _sniffs_ Matt. “What is that smell? Why do you smell like...trash?”

Matt’s nervous quick kicks in and he licks his lips. “Oh, it’s vinegar. I don’t know why but somehow I always imagine Daredevil to be that kind of gritty vigilante that tends to end up in a dumpster. I wanted it to be as realistic as possible,” He couples his lie with a guilty chuckle.

Behind him, Foggy pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs long and hard. “Matt Murdock, I swear...” He whispers. Matt’s mouth makes a upside down smile. Karen nods and makes a sound that indicates her admiration at his dedication to detail. Matt makes his way around the party with the two of them, listening as they describe the various costumes of everyone at the party. Karen can’t get over how realistic Matt’s outfit is and comments on it at least three more times, taking the opportunity each time to touch it.

At one point he gets his cane stuck in a dude's costume because he’s dressed as a fish with a long net around his waist and stockings on his feet. “Oh, hey, no worries, man,” costumed-weirdo says as Matt fake apologizes profusely. He could have swiftly avoided getting tangled up but the unfulfilled thespian Matt likes to think is still in him insisted otherwise. “And before you ask me what I’m dressed as, it’s fishnet stockings. ‘Cos I’m dressed as a fish wearing stockings with a net for a skirt. Eh, get it?”

Matt grins. “That’s funny,” he offers, because he really doesn’t know what else to say.

There’re only so many times Matt can politely turn down invitations from different people to join in the never ending conga line, pretending to be too busy enjoying the finger food before he caves and drags Foggy and Karen along. His hands are on Foggy’s shoulders, whose hands are on Karen’s, all of them shimmying along to some thumping beat blaring from the speakers. As ridiculous as the music is, it doesn’t come anywhere near to how silly Matt feels. In the name of keeping up pretenses, he intentionally sticks out his left leg when everyone’s got their right leg out, bumbling along like the adorable toddler everyone finds endearing. Five minutes in, and Matt is mildly annoyed at himself because he’s enjoying this more than he should. He chooses to credit this to the concussion.

Matt discreetly shuffle-hobbles back to their table but Foggy notices because nothing escapes Foggy’s eagle eye when it comes to Matt, so he anxiously rushes him to the restroom.

“It’s nothing, Foggy. Don’t worry about it.”

“It’s not nothing, unless you think you’re still in the conga line or something,” Foggy mutters.

“Wait. Are you...blushing? Out with it Murdock, come on.” 

Unbelievable. For all the good his cowl does covering most of his face, it apparently can’t hide a blush. He sighs. “I- I may or may not be having a wedgie, is all.” Foggy’s poor attempt at stifling his laughter makes Matt scowl.

“OK, OK, I’m sorry. But- how? Aren’t you…all commando down there? Or at least wearing some special armor-related underwear?”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“What? I just thought, you know, that all you long underwear types wore just that. Your- long underwear.” Foggy shrugs.

“It’s just normal underwear, Foggy. And no, before you ask, this hasn’t happened before. I’m usually too busy running over rooftops and punching people in the face to notice whether something’s riding up my butt. Guess this get-up isn’t much for dancing or pretending to not have heightened senses.”

Karen gives Foggy a cheeky grin when they return. “What?” he asks.

“Oh, nothing, nothing,” she says, a little too lightly. Matt picks up on her heart beat. Oh. Something is definitely up. It is all too soon before someone clears his throat over the microphone and announces the next segment of the night’s events: a costume contest. The voice babbles on about how the following nominees and will be required to strut down the catwalk before everyone present gets to cast their vote. Karen, who is now grinning like a Cheshire cat, presses her fingers to her lips to muffle a giggle. A chill goes down Matt’s spine. Oh no. No no no. Karen, what have you done? He leans over to Foggy, who’s also figured everything out by now.

“I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“‘Fraid not, buddy.”

“We’re also gonna have to tell her the truth about me sooner rather than later, right?”

“Yup. But _you’re_ the one who’s gonna have to do the explaining, while _I’ll_ provide the emotional support,” Foggy says. Matt groans into his hands.

Sure enough, Matt’s name gets called, along with four others. He lets Karen guide him up the stage while he waits his turn to go down the makeshift runway.

“This is going to be a disaster.”

“Come on, how do you know it’s not going to be fantastic? Oh, and by the way, I’ve instructed Foggy to take lots of pictures for posterity’s sake,” Karen all but squeals in excitement. Despite Foggy’s rather passionate comments about him having a murder strut when he’s being all Daredevil-y, Matt has no idea how a blind lawyer in a functional vigilante suit is supposed to strut down a catwalk at a costume party. So he makes the best of his situation and takes the walk with Karen, who is beaming so hard he wouldn’t be surprised if her head suddenly spun off and shot into space.

He makes sure to use his cane in a deliberately obvious manner to really hammer home the fact that he’s just a blind guy in a really impressive-looking costume. He swings his cane a little too much to the left and hits several light bulbs that outline the catwalk and mumbles an unapologetic “oops”.

The lights are all focused on him, it’s starting to get uncomfortably warm and he can feel everyone boring holes into him. Matt has never liked being the center of attention, much less parading his alter-ego to a room full of unsuspecting people. Karen lets him know when he’s nearing the edge of the catwalk and tells him to strike a pose. He draws a blank, fumbles with his cane for a few seconds before settling for a timid wave. Matt hears Foggy going trigger happy snapping photo after photo out in the crowd. Perfect. He turns around as quick as he can. But then he hears it.

A hushed, excited voice exclaiming to a friend: “ _Holy smokes, get a load of that butt! It almost looks as good as the real Daredevil’s back when he was in his black outfit. Boy do I know who I’m getting my legal advice from next time._ ” Matt thinks there’s nothing he wouldn’t give to be able to parkour off the catwalk at that moment with his secret identity still intact.

“Um- Karen? Does this costume make my butt look obvious?”

“Seeing as how it's facing the audience right now, would you like the polite answer or the truth?” He detects a hint of a smirk in her answer and quickens his pace.

“Ugh. There’s nothing I’d like more than to curl up in a cave and never show my face again,” he mutters when they reach the back of the stage. Karen laughs and gives him a quick hug. “You. Were. Great! God’s honest truth! And everyone loved you out there.” Matt hears the sincerity in her voice and knows she means it.

She offers to go get some drinks and more snacks for the three of them once they reach the table Foggy’s at.

“No. Not a word, Foggy,” Matt sighs.

“You’re as red as a tomato,” the glee in Foggy’s voice is impossible to miss. “Oh, and I even took a video.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Foggy plays the video and barks out a laugh when it plays back that butt comment. What were the odds that Foggy managed to record the single most embarrassing moment of his night? The misery on Matt's face is obvious, cowl or no cowl.

“I can’t believe she was right next to me and I didn’t hear it earlier! This video is going to haunt your every waking hour, Murdock.”

“Do not let Karen see this. Ever.”

“Why the hell not?”

“I don’t know, what if she has photographic memory of butts or something and she realizes Daredevil’s ass and mine are one and the same?” Matt’s voice goes up a pitch.

“Quit getting your panties in a wad- oh wait,that already happened to you. Well, perhaps the shapeliness of your behind would help cushion any feelings of stinging betrayal or shock, assuming she reacts the same way I did. But that’s doubtful. I think she’d probably break out in song and dance or throw flowers in the air or something, seeing as how she’s always been pro-Daredevil.”

“You’re the worst.”

“Oh shush, I love you too. Remind me again why you thought hiding out from those drug trafficking idiots at a costume party was going to be a brilliant move?”

Matt’s shoulders slump in resignation. “It seemed like a good idea at the time. In theory, at least.”

“Oh, but it was. And now I have a video plus photographic evidence of that.”

Matt flicks a chip at Foggy’s face and grins when Foggy’s hand flies to his face and lets out an “Ow!”

Karen returns with the snacks, curious smile playing on her lips. “What did I miss?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just teasing a certain lawyer here about how his costume did great justice to his derriere.”

Karen snorts. “I’d say it was more a community service. I saw two witches, a Hercules and a Stay Puft staring at Matt long after we got off the stage.” Matt almost chokes on his drink.

===

"You look ridiculous."

"Nonsense. I look every bit as heroic as you. My butt too. Plus, I've come to take your fashion advice with a huge grain of salt."

"All this coming from the guy who once took it as a personal affront that I wasn’t on the cover of Vogue. How many selfies have you taken?" Matt asks, grabbing two beers from the fridge before heading back to the couch.

"Hey, just because you’re easy on the eyes it doesn’t mean you’re not sartorially challenged. Which OK, you’re not. But that’s only because you play it safe with your wardrobe. And to answer your question, not nearly enough. Do you know how hard it is to get that perfect angle?"

"Have you met me?" Matt gestures at himself. Foggy laughs, but doesn’t take his eyes off his phone.

“You know, as far as good ideas in theory go, I’d say the night capped off pretty well for you. Or Karen, at least. She was practically bouncing up and down when you got runner up in the contest. No wonder she was yawning the entire time we waited for the cab. She must’ve been exhausted,” Two more pictures later and Foggy finally puts his phone down. He’s almost panting once he peels Matt’s suit off.

Matt swallows his chuckle with a mouthful of beer. “I hope those pictures were worth the struggle.”

“So worth it. And I can’t believe you let me try it on.”

Matt shrugs. “Why wouldn’t I? I also knew you’d ask sooner or later so I figured I’d beat you to it. Hey, do you think I should add a symbol to the front of the armor?”

“What do you have in mind?” Foggy sinks into the couch and takes a swig from his bottle.

“What do you think about two D’s?”

Foggy ponders over the idea for a few moments. “It could either end up pretty cool, or very very tacky. Melvin’s got skill, though. I have faith in him. Wait. Daredevil’s just one word. Why two D’s? What’s the other D going to stand for?” Foggy turns to look at Matt, whose lips immediately quirk upwards, releasing the laugh he held back at the alley earlier in the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Karen as Jessica Hamby was too good to pass up.


End file.
